Everyday English reflects the wordplay of pathways. We speak of “getting off track,” or taking “the path of least resistance.” We express disappointment as being “led up the primrose path.” We tell new friends, “I’m glad our paths crossed.” For me, however, while walking New Zealand, I learned an entire new vocabulary.

In New Zealand, a walker’s paradise, pathways crisscross language and the land like skeins of light. Ancestors of the Maori walked the entirety of the country naming landforms and waterways. Today, walking is the Kiwi way, from short local bush walks to the 1,900-mile Te Araroa (“Long Pathway”).

Kiwis Walk the Talk

Here, walking is no mere footnote. Surveys show that for New Zealanders of every age and ethnicity, walking is the most popular recreation—by ~~a mile~~ kilometers.

The origin of the word path is itself a kind of path. It begins, as many pathways do, with clear signposting: “Take Old English back to Old Frisian, then hang a right at Middle Dutch and keep going until you reach Old High German.”

These early words for path evoke footsteps: paþ, pæþ pat, pad, pfad. But the ultimate origin for path has disappeared into the forests of time.

Step Right Up

Let’s go wandering through the present. From the mainlands of North Island and South Island to smaller islands like Waiheke, pathways beckon.

Urban pathways are keen to get you where you’re going. “Hurry along! Hurry along!”

Island pathways are more laidback. Sun warms them, breezes ruffle their grasses and your hair. They whisper, “Wherever you’re headed, here’s nice, too.”

Sometimes you meet the perfect companion, and if you’re lucky, you’ll walk the same path for a while. As people in New Zealand like to say, “Sweet as!” (Sweet as what, you ask? Just “sweet as.”)

The “Ara” Variations

The word for path in Maori is ara, and New Zealand’s first people have many other names for pathways. There’s ararātā, the path of native Rata trees, and ararimu, if the trees are Rimu. Or you may come to two paths, ararua; a blocked path, arapuni; or the pathway’s end, arapito.

In New Zealand’s mountains or along its coasts, one may encounter the sacred path, or aratapu.

Some paths possess deep patience. After a long solitude, they welcome a lone hiker with birdsong.

Some paths begin gently and rapidly become challenging. A Maori proverb says, “If you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.”

Mindful Walking

A path can be metaphorical, even when it’s literal. What’s better than a long walk for sorting things out in one’s mind?

Other Pathways

The path along a mountain ridge is called arapae, a path for the brave. But not all pathways are on the land. The horizon is a path for the eye, the sky a path for imagination.

Shadows and the rays of rainbows form pathways, too. And then there is aramoana, the sea path.

What Pathways Do You Walk?

We’re all on some kind of path. We may choose it, stumble upon it, change it, or create a whole new path.

And oh, I see now, after the beauty of walking New Zealand, if we keep our eyes open, whatever path we’re on can become aratoro—the path of discovery.

Special thanks to Cleone Blomfield and Annette Caswell for their insights and hospitality in Queenstown and Glenorchy.

$\"Glenorchy$

Glenorchy in New Zealand’s South Island is a gateway to many spectacular hiking trails.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

The Wordplay of Pathways<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Everyday English reflects the wordplay of pathways. We speak of \u201cgetting off track,\u201d or taking \u201cthe path of least resistance.\u201d We express disappointment as being \u201cled up the primrose path.\u201d We tell new friends, \u201cI\u2019m glad our paths crossed.\u201d For me, however, while walking New Zealand, I learned an entire new vocabulary.<\/p>\n
$\"Glenorchy\u2019s$
Glenorchy’s boardwalk takes birdwatchers into the wetlands.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
In New Zealand, a walker\u2019s paradise, pathways crisscross language and the land like skeins of light. \u00a0Ancestors of the Maori walked the entirety of the country naming landforms and waterways. Today, walking is the Kiwi way, from short local bush walks to the 1,900-mile Te Araroa\u00a0<\/a>(\u201cLong Pathway\u201d).<\/p>\n
Kiwis Walk the Talk<\/h4>\n
Here, walking is no mere footnote. Surveys show that for\u00a0New Zealanders of every age and ethnicity, walking is the most popular recreation\u2014by a mile<\/del>\u00a0kilometers.<\/p>\n
$\"Walking$
Waiheke Island offers serene walks through bush and beach.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
The origin of the word path<\/em> is itself a kind of path. It begins, as many pathways do, with clear signposting: \u201cTake Old English back to Old Frisian, then hang a right at Middle Dutch and keep going until you reach Old High German.\u201d<\/p>\n
These early words for path\u00a0<\/em>evoke footsteps:\u00a0 pa\u00fe<\/em>,\u00a0p\u00e6\u00fe<\/em>\u00a0pat<\/em>, pad, pfad. <\/em>But the ultimate origin for path<\/em> has disappeared into the forests of time.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Mangawhero Forest Walk in Tongariro National Park meanders through
Rimu, Matai, and Kahikatea trees.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Step Right Up<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Let\u2019s go wandering through the present. From the mainlands of North Island and South Island to smaller islands like Waiheke, pathways beckon.<\/p>\n
A short path says, \u201cCome on in! Plenty of views, no waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n
$\"Walking$
Devonport’s bucolic walks are just a 10-minute\u00a0ferry ride from the city of Auckland.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
A steep path says, \u201cNot so fast. Good things happen in steps.\u201d<\/p>\n
$\"Steep$
Queenstown’s topography is truly on the up and up.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Urban pathways are keen to get you where you\u2019re going. \u201cHurry along! Hurry along!\u201d<\/p>\n
Island pathways are more laidback. Sun warms them, breezes ruffle their grasses and your hair. They whisper, \u201cWherever you\u2019re headed, here\u2019s nice, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
$\"Grassy$
Waiheke’s Te Motu Vineyard is a gentle 20-minute stroll from Onetangi Road.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Sometimes you meet the perfect companion, and if you\u2019re lucky, you\u2019ll walk the same path for a while. As people in New Zealand like to say, \u201cSweet as!\u201d (Sweet as what<\/em>, you ask? Just \u201csweet as.\u201d)<\/p>\n
$\"A$
At Lake Te Anau in NZ’s Fiordland, \u00a0Paradise ducks and other birds tag along with hikers.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
The “Ara” Variations <\/strong><\/h4>\n
The word for path<\/em> in Maori is ara<\/em>, and New Zealand\u2019s first people have many other names for pathways. There\u2019s arar\u0101t\u0101,<\/em> the path of native Rata trees, and ararimu<\/em>, if the trees are Rimu. Or you may come to two paths, ararua<\/em>; a blocked path, arapuni<\/em>; or the pathway\u2019s end, arapito<\/em>.<\/p>\n
In New Zealand’s mountains or along its coasts, one may encounter the sacred path, or\u00a0aratapu<\/em>.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Queenstown Hill is known in Maori as Te Tapu-nui, “the mountain of intense sacredness.”
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Some paths possess deep patience. After a long solitude, they welcome a lone hiker with birdsong.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Put away the earphones. Even when you cannot see native birds, you’ll hear their songs<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Some paths begin gently and rapidly become challenging. \u00a0A Maori proverb says,\u00a0“If you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.”<\/p>\n
$\"Walking$
Queenstown Hill is a steep, demanding, and ultimately rewarding hike of several hours. \u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"\u201cBasket$
Persevere until you reach the “Basket of Dreams,” a sculpture by Caroline Robinson.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Mindful Walking<\/strong><\/h4>\n
A path can be metaphorical, even when it\u2019s literal. What\u2019s better than a long walk for sorting things out in one\u2019s mind?<\/p>\n
$\"Wild$
If troubles seem to mushroom . . .
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"A$
Or you\u2019re totally stumped . . .
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"Tree$
. . . \u00a0a mindful walk in the woods can help reveal the roots of an issue.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
$\"A$
A path may drop hints: \u201cYou\u2019re grasping for the wrong things.\u201d
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Other Pathways<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The path along a mountain ridge is called arapae<\/em>, a path for the brave. But not all pathways are on the land. The horizon is a path for the eye, the sky a path for imagination.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Hikes in The Remarkables mountain range offer tranquil views of NZ’s longest lake, Wakatipu.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Shadows and the rays of rainbows form pathways, too. And then there is aramoana<\/em>, the sea path.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
The views from Victoria Hill above Devonport in NZ’s North Island are pure storybook.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
What Pathways Do You Walk? <\/strong><\/h4>\n
We\u2019re all on some kind of path. We may choose it, stumble upon it, change it, or create a whole new path.<\/p>\n
And oh, I see\u00a0<\/strong>now, after the beauty of walking New Zealand, if we keep our eyes open, whatever path we\u2019re on can become aratoro<\/em>\u2014the path of discovery.<\/p>\n
In the wordplay of pathways, it happens one step at a time.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
A walk to Glenorchy Lagoon is the surest way to inspiration.\u00a0
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Special thanks to Cleone Blomfield and Annette Caswell for their\u00a0insights\u00a0and hospitality in Queenstown and Glenorchy.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
To explore New Zealand on foot, start here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
Comment<\/a> on this post below.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":31045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[102,225,534,222],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-language","category-nature-travel","category-newzealand-mappoints","category-hiking-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31025"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40193,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31025\/revisions\/40193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

The Wordplay of Pathways

Kiwis Walk the Talk

Step Right Up

The “Ara” Variations

Mindful Walking

Other Pathways

What Pathways Do You Walk?

Mindful Walking<\/strong><\/h4>\nA path can be metaphorical, even when it\u2019s literal. What\u2019s better than a long walk for sorting things out in one\u2019s mind?<\/p>\nIf troubles seem to mushroom . . .\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n